1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to satellite antennas and, in particular, concerns a system for removing excess water on a cover on the front face of an earth based satellite antenna so as to reduce accumulation of beaded water on the cover which can interfere with satellite communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Satellite communication systems are becoming increasingly popular in today's world. For example, satellite communication systems are being used by networks of stores for providing inventory information between stores and these systems are also used for credit transactions. In particular, satellite communication systems have increasingly been used by retail stores to approve credit card transactions by individual customers. The primary advantage of satellite communications is that the information can be transmitted to a satellite and then returned to a distant ground station much quicker than the information can be transferred via the telephone lines.
The increasing use of satellite communications has resulted in the installation of many satellite dish antennas in colder or wetter climates. One particular problem with positioning satellite dish antennas in colder or wetter climates is that rain, snow or freezing rain can accumulate in the dish of the antenna. The accumulations of rain, snow or ice in the dish of the antenna can further result in an interruption of signals between that particular satellite antenna and the satellite. It will be appreciated that satellite networks in these climates are particularly vulnerable to interruption of the transfer of information on these systems during snow storms, rain storms and the like.
Several features have been developed in the past to address the problem of accumulations of water, snow and ice in satellite dish antennas. Satellite antennas have been equipped with fabric covers to prevent water, snow and ice from accumulating inside of the dish of the antenna. These covers are preferably made of a material that does not interfere with the signals travelling between the satellite and the antenna. One difficulty with these covers, however, is that, while these covers are generally successful in keeping water, snow and water from accumulating inside of the dish, these covers will quite often be coated by water, snow or frozen water in certain conditions.
For example, when there is a wet snow, the wet snow has a tendency to stick to the outside cover of the satellite dish. Similarly, when weather conditions are producing sleet or freezing fog, the frozen ice can also accumulate on the outside cover of the antenna. Even in a rainstorm, or in high humidity, water can bead up on the outer cover of the antenna and can significantly affect communications between the satellite and the earth-based antenna. This is a problem particularly in humid climates where the amount of moisture in the air may result in water accumulating on the outer cover of the antenna in quantities sufficient to interrupt communications even when there is no rainstorm.
Consequently, while covers provide some protection against the interruption of communications resulting from water, snow or ice accumulating on the antenna dish, the outer surface of the covers themselves can become covered with water or frozen precipitation that can result in the interruption of satellite communications. While systems have been used in the prior art that heat the antenna, these systems have not always been effective in preventing the interruption of communications and they are particularly poorly suited for preventing the interruption of communications resulting from the accumulation of water, in the form of either rain or condensation, from accumulating on the outer surface of the cover and interrupting communications.
Hence, there is a need for a system that is capable of reducing the likelihood that the accumulations of water will interrupt satellite communications. There is a particular need for a system that is capable of reducing the likelihood that condensation or rain water will interrupt satellite communications as a result of the moisture accumulating on the outer surface of a cover positioned on the front face of an earth based satellite antenna.